John Prescott's Team Speak Of Defeat As Police Commissioners Post Mortem Begins

John Prescott’s campaign have spoken of the “irony” of the Conservative candidate beating the Labour heavyweight with a voting system opposed by the Tory party, as the post-mortem began on the police commissioner elections.

Prescott failed in his bid to become Humberside police and crime commissioner, ceding the vote to Conservative candidate Matthew Grove on Friday.

In a blog for The Huffington Post UK, David Prescott said turnout across England and Wales for the PCC elections was “shocking”, but said: “I'm enormously proud of what John and our team did. He had the guts to go for it and even when he lost, showed great grace.”

The Conservatives gained a high-profile scalp in the PCC elections

The former deputy prime minister led after the first round of votes in the Humberside race. But after second preference votes were totted up in The Spa, Bridlington, the 74-year-old was overtaken by 2000 votes to Tory local businessman and Councillor Grove.

Speaking on Friday Lord Prescott laughed when someone reminded him it was the first time he had personally lost an election race.

He said: "I've always been winning but I knew when I started it was a marginal seat.

"But it's nothing to be defeated in a democracy, is it?"

Only around one in seven people in England and Wales voted, with 16 Conservative, 13 Labour and 12 independent PCCs elected.

On Friday Cameron was also forced on the defensive over the PCC elections amid criticism from the watchdog, electoral reform campaigners, opposition parties and one of his own backbenchers.

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Lord Prescott (right) stands next to the winning candidate Matthew Grove after the vote for the Police and Crime Commissioner in the Humberside Police Area in The Bridlington Spa following polling yesterday.

Lord Prescott reacts as during the vote count for the Police and Crime Commissioner in the Humberside Police Area in The Bridlington Spa following polling yesterday. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday November 16, 2012. Lord Prescott's team was looking nervous this evening with just one of the four local authorities in the Humberside police force area still counting its second preference votes. The former Deputy Prime Minister got the most votes in the first round but, as the second preferences of the eliminated candidates were totted up in The Bridlington Spa, his grip on the lead looked less and less secure. After the second votes from North Lincolnshire, North-East Lincolnshire and Hull were added to the candidates' first round totals, Lord Prescott was still about 2,000 votes ahead. See PA story POLL Humberside. Photo credit should read: John Giles/PA Wire

Lord Prescott reacts as during the vote count for the Police and Crime Commissioner in the Humberside Police Area in The Bridlington Spa following polling yesterday.

Lord Prescott speaks after losing to Matthew Grove after the vote for the Police and Crime Commissioner in the Humberside Police Area in The Bridlington Spa following polling yesterday.

Lord Prescott (right) stands next to the winning candidate Matthew Grove after the vote for the Police and Crime Commissioner in the Humberside Police Area in The Bridlington Spa following polling yesterday.

Lord Prescott (right) stands next to the winning candidate Matthew Grove after the vote for the Police and Crime Commissioner in the Humberside Police Area in The Bridlington Spa following polling yesterday.

Lord Prescott (right) stands next to the winning candidate Matthew Grove after the vote for the Police and Crime Commissioner in the Humberside Police Area in The Bridlington Spa following polling yesterday.

Lord Prescott reacts as during the vote count for the Police and Crime Commissioner in the Humberside Police Area in The Bridlington Spa following polling yesterday.

Lady Prescott waits in a corridor as the Police and Crime Commissioner count in the Humberside Police Area takes place in Bridlington Spa today following polling yesterday.

Lord Prescott and his wife Pauline leave Bridlington Spa this afternoon as counting continues for the Police and Crime Commissioner declaration in the Humberside Police Area in Bridlington Spa today following polling yesterday.

Lord Prescott leaves Bridlington Spa this afternoon as counting continues for the Police and Crime Commissioner declaration in the Humberside Police Area in Bridlington Spa today following polling yesterday.

Lord Prescott and his wife Pauline leave Bridlington Spa this afternoon as counting continues for the Police and Crime Commissioner declaration in the Humberside Police Area in Bridlington Spa today following polling yesterday.

Lord Prescott reacts to a question posed by the waiting media as he arrives for the Police and Crime Commissioner declaration in the Humberside Police Area in Bridlington Spa today.

Lord Prescott arrives for the Police and Crime Commissioner declaration in the Humberside Police Area in Bridlington Spa today following Polling yesterday.

Lord Prescott and his agent Graham Petrini arrive for the Police and Crime Commissioner declaration in the Humberside Police Area in Bridlington Spa today.

The vote count for the Police and Crime Commissioner in the Humberside Police Area with boxes of votes for John Prescott in Bridlington Spa today following Polling yesterday.

The vote count for the Police and Crime Commissioner in the Humberside Police Area with boxes of votes for John Prescott in Bridlington Spa today following Polling yesterday.